Canning process



Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. HECTOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VITAPAGK CORPORATION, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

OANNING Ito Drawing.

The present invention relates to an improvement in the art of preserving food or other products against the effects of oxygen, and against other deleterious influences, by sealing the products in a container without oxygen and with a substituted gas, such as carbon dioxide. The advantages of so-called gas canning are well-known, but the application of the process has been somewhat limited. particularly as regards liquid or pasty foods, such as edible oils, condensed milk, do, as Well as products which are partly solid but surrounded by liquid, as for instance, fruits and vegetables put in syrup,- brine, or other liquid.

Oxygen dissolved and occluded in the product or in the accompanying liquid, or contained in the space between the top of tne container and the surface oi? the contents, is possibly the princi all source of trouble, ceasing pinholing, b' aclrening of theprod not, rusting); oi the interior of the can, loss of flavor, etc.

ll propose to eli'ectively displace the city content by procedure substantially as follows 2 Where the product under treatment is a syrup, brine, liquid. or posts, I may place it a irnory cont lust, and remove all air container end its contents by heat or Without sgitation, by creating" a ucinp; the sir with ot er binations oil these methods.

ill

ed with an inert gas, such or nitrogen, to apredeend or pressure, depending lly predetermined temper- ,ircduct in the primary conoroduct consists both solids and not! solid portion, which they or may not i e n 'l' eed trorn injurious inreal b them with liquids or other is nlled. into n can or other final con end the liquid portion, which has been d as set forth in the next preced 'cph, is introduced into the can by {File means.

U53 cowse, the final roductis entirely a liquid or pasty condition it may be filled into the duel container directly.

For the best results certain factors Will 1 charged liquid or product.

rnoonss.

Application filed April 28, 1922. serial N0. 657,180.

have to be controlled. gas Wlll be chosen with its solubility in particular llqulcls, in mind. And the temperature of the product, and the gas pressure to Which the liquid is submitted, must be regulated with a view to particular amounts or pressures of dissolved gas desired in the Thus, the substituted The oxygen-free, gas-charged product,.in its final can or container, is now to be'sealed up, and there is to be sufficient (low of gas from the product just before sealing so that air or oxygen is efi'ectively swept out of the can duringthe interval between the iillin of the container with the charged liquicf end the final sealing oi the container.

ll? the gas in the charged product is under a greater than atmospheric pressure, it Will begin to escape as soon as the product is discharged into the can.

ln some cases It may prefer to saturate o cooled product With the substitute gets at atmospheric pressure, and then heat the can before the final sealing, whereby suflicient gas is liberated to sweep out adventitious oxygen or air. In any case the can should. be partially closed While the escaping gas is driving out air or oxygen. This may be done by partially crimping on the top, and completing the crimping to hermetically seal the can when the scavenging is complete. Gr, a cover might is finally criniped on, and provided with esniall hole through which gas can escape, this hole to be tipped with solder when scavenging is complete. By either method the can is protected against loss of substitute gas because of drsfts, etc. Ubviousiy, there are distinct relations between gas pressure, size or escape opening or openings, and time interval between the moment when the can is filled and the completion of the hermetic seal. The escaping gas scavenges the can, and prevents the entrance of outside air or oxygen and that which does not escape provides a enefieial, or at least harmless atmosphere Withghreater than atmospheric t e l to particular materials, steps of process, or sequential relation of steps, except as may he demanded by the claims.

I claim:

1. The method of preserving a liquid product against the effect of deleterious gas which comprises first, replacing the deleterious-gas-contents of the product in bulk,

in a rimary container, with an innocuous t en gas, placing the product in a number of relative y small final containers, with the contained gas at-a pressure not substantially causing flow of innocuous gas from t 1e ro'duct in the final containers whereby dc eterious gases are swept out and entrythereof into the final containers is prevenled,-and sealin the final containers while the gas flow there rom continues.-'and""with the contained gas at a pressure hot substantially .greater than atmospheric.

2. The method of )reserving a product that is a mixture of so ids and liquids, which consists in treating the liquid constituents se arately from the solids and replacing the de eterious-gjis-contcnts of said iquid constituents in ulk in a primary container with an innocuous gas, then placing the charged liquid constituents and solid constituents in a number of relatively small final containers with the contained gas at a pressure not substantially greater than atmospheric, causing flow of the innocuous gas from the liquid constituents in the final containers whereby deleterious gases are swept out and entry thereof into the containers is prevented, and sealing the final containers while the gas flow continues and with the contained gas at a pressure not substantially greater than atmospheric.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

THOMAS M. REC OR. 

